Mike Sebastian Bay: Rusticated Poker Tobacco Pipe

Danish artisan Mike Sebastian Bay began his pipe carving career quite by happenstance when he reached out to Tom Eltang, looking to have his father's pipes repaired. Bay and Eltang soon became fast friends, and the master carver provided Bay with mentorship and a place to craft his own pipes in Eltang's Copenhagen studio, eventually giving Bay his blessing to use his signature rustication technique. Now an accomplished craftsman in his own right, Bay's work features classic Danish stylings with the occasional aesthetic nod to his teacher. This Poker is one such piece, displaying Bay's excellent grasp of his mentor's rustication, while also adding his own creative flair to the design. The tall, slim bowl shows a strong forward cant and a flat heel, allowing the pipe to sit upright in an energetic stance. The sleek shank is fitted with a vulcanite saddle stem, perfect for clenching. Dressed in an Eltang-like black rustication, the stummel offers copious texture through its simulated ring grain, contrasted elegantly by a smooth rim in a rich walnut stain.